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Location
Accessibility
Not accessible to visitors with mobility issues, wheelchair users, or visual impairments. Building features steps at entrances, narrow staircase, and low lighting. Younger children may need assistance navigating stairs.
Visitor tip
Don't miss the attic—climb all the way to the top to see the historic chimney fire ladder mechanism and learn about the ingenious 17th-century fire safety design where occupants would climb to open a roof hatch and pour water down the chimney during fires.
Visitor tip
Take advantage of the excellent guided tours led by Historic New England staff—reviewers consistently praise the tour guides' knowledge of the Arnold family history and the house's renovations, which significantly enhance the educational experience.
Quick Facts
- Type
- Historic House Museum
- Built
- 1693
- Notable Feature
- Stone-ender design with massive fieldstone chimney
- Operated By
- Historic New England
What visitors say
The Arnold house is a must see if you want first hand knowledge of colonial homes in this part of New England. It's it's called a "stone ender" and it's fascinating. Be sure to go all the way up to the attic and observe the ladder which…
I visited Eleazer Arnold House on the same day I visited Clemence-Irons House. Both are properties of Historic New England. I wanted to visit this house for many years and can now go for free with my Historic New England Membership. The…
Great example of a "stoneside cottage" . This is one of the unique houses in New England. But go because you want to learn about the architecture not the method of living in that era. The house is restored to the way it looked…
From 34 Google reviews Read all reviews
Did You Know?
- The Eleazer Arnold House, built in 1693, is one of the best surviving examples of a 'stone-ender' — a rare colonial New England architectural style characterized by a massive fieldstone chimney and frame construction unique to Rhode Island
- The house features an ingenious 17th-century chimney fire safety mechanism: a ladder in the attic that residents could climb to access a hatch in the roof, allowing them to pour water down the chimney to extinguish fires
- The Arnold House was converted into a museum in 1918 and is now maintained by Historic New England, preserving it as a restored example of early colonial architecture without furnishings to showcase original craftsmanship
More Family Fun Nearby
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